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SoCal Man Missing, $1M Gone: Suspicious Case
28 Apr
Summary
- Elderly man reported missing, with over $1 million missing from accounts.
- Investigators suspect fraud, possibly impersonation using his phone.
- FBI agents have joined the search for the missing 74-year-old man.

Federal agents are now assisting in the search for Naiping Hou, a 74-year-old Southern Californian who was reported missing on May 4, 2025. His disappearance is considered suspicious following the discovery that over $1 million has been withdrawn from his bank accounts through extensive fraudulent transactions. This has prompted the FBI to join the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department in the investigation.
Mr. Hou was last seen by his son, Wen Hou, during a fishing trip in March 2025, when he was reportedly in good spirits. Concerns arose weeks later due to unusual and brief text messages from his phone, which his son now believes were sent by someone else. Family members found his home empty, repainted, and cleared out, with his vehicles missing, further deepening the mystery.